It is well known that a meat-like taste can be produced by the reaction, in the presence of heat, between the free amino groups of amino acids and/or of peptides, and the carbonyl groups of reducing sugars.
FR 1,584,629 (Kyowa Hakko Kogyo) thus describes a method for the preparation of a seasoning having a taste similar to that of a meat extract, in which a protein is enzymatically hydrolyzed, sugars are added, the water content and the pH are adjusted, and the mixture is heated. For the same purpose, WO 94/25580 (Novo Nordisk) suggests hydrolyzed a protein source with a proteolytic preparation derived from Aspergillus oryzae. Likewise, EP 582050 (Societe des Produits Nestle) describes a process in which a protein source consisting of a mixture of lovage and onion is prepared, sugar is added, hydrolysis is performed by means of a lactic acid fermentation, and then the hydrolyzed mixture is heat treated.
A meat flavor can also be developed solely by a fermentation process, without having to use a heat treatment. EP 106236 (Societe des Produits Nestle) describes, in this regard, a process in which, in a liquid medium, a vegetable is fermented by halophilic lactic acid bacteria, in the presence of a powdered hydrolyzed protein source and 1% to 4.5% by weight of salts based on the weight of the vegetable.
Moreover, it is known that other fermentation processes which produce flavor factors used for various seasonings are known. For example, the method for the preparation of a traditional soya sauce has two fermentation steps involving a koji culture and a halophilic microorganism, respectively. EP 417481 (Societe des Produits Nestle) thus describes a process for the preparation of a fermented soya sauce, in which a koji is prepared by fermentation, in the solid state, with a koji culture, of a mixture of cooked soya and roasted wheat, the koji is hydrolyzed in an aqueous suspension for 3-8 h at 45-60.degree. C. with the enzymes produced during the fermentation with the koji culture, a moromi is prepared by adding sodium chloride to the hydrolyzed koji suspension, the moromi is fermented by a halophilic microorganism, it is pressed, a liquid is recovered from the pressed moromi, this liquid is pasteurized and clarified in order to remove the sediments.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,284 (Kikkoman Shoyu) also describes a rapid process for the preparation of a fermented soya sauce, in which the conventional steps for the preparation of a koji and then of a moromi are reduced to a single step. For that, a koji is directly fermented, in the liquid state, in the presence of salts of a carboxylic acid with 4 carbon atoms and certain lactic acid bacteria and/or yeasts, and then a liquid is recovered from the pressed koji.
The soya sauces thus produced do not, however, have a meat flavor.
The subject of the present invention is a new method for the production of a meat flavor, from plants, which is relatively simple to carry out, and which does not require using sophisticated reagents.